Automatic Welding-Robot Programming Based on PPR Models

Abstract

Abstract This paper describes a novel end-to-end approach for automatic welding-robot programming based on a product-process-resource (PPR) model, for one-of-a-kind manufacturing systems. For welding-robot programming to be possible, in a one-of-a-kind manufacturing system, a large range of information about the product is required e.g., customer requirements, product design features, manufacturing process parameters and resource capability. Traditionally, this information is processed and transferred along the manufacturing organisation’s value chain by using several stand-alone digital systems which require extensive human input and high skill to operate. A PPR model is proposed through this research as a platform for storing and processing the necessary information along the value chain seamlessly. This is achieved through the digital integration of CAD software tools compliant with the ISO 2553:2019 standard, and offline programming systems (OLP) for welding-robots. The PPR model enables the automatic programming of welding robots and drastically reduces human input. The applicability in manufacturing of the theoretical concept is demonstrated through technical implementations tested in laboratory and on the value chain of an engineering-to-order (ETO) industrial partner involved in the metal fabrication industry. The experiments were conducted by creating several products using the proposed artefact. Experiments show that automatic programming of welding robots can be achieved using PPR models, drastically reduce the human input necessary to obtain a welding-robot program, and drastically reduce the ETO product’s lead time.